The supports and programs at the Epilepsy Foundation of Metropolitan New York serve to equip people living with or impacted by Epilepsy or seizure disorder to live life more fully. Services available are: individual and group counseling: support groups; vocational service & job coaching; Day and Community Habilitation (under the Office for People with Developmental Disability); Creative Arts Group, information & referral services. The EFMNY also offers community education/Seizure First Aid in and other events throughout the year.

All information and training presentations are free of charge. Other programs are also free of charge or require low cost fees. Fees are based on a sliding scale. Medicaid, Medicare, and some third party insurances are accepted.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Metropolitan New York relies upon volunteer Board and Advisory Board Members to assist with: oversight; strategic planning; vocational, medical and legal guidance; and fundraising activities.

• • The Board of Directors provides oversight to the EFMNY, and is composed of persons representing the legal, medical, business, service and epilepsy sectors in the NYC community.
  • The Professional Advisory Board provides continuing programmatic/educational guidance and advice, and is composed of persons who presently are the top neurology/epilepsy medical professionals from the leading medical centers in the NYC community.
  • The Into the Light Epilepsy Engagement Group is dedicated to creating special events to raise epilepsy awareness and to providing support to people living with epilepsy and their network.

Meet Our Staff

Leadership & Clinical
Bessida Ouedraogo, LMSW • Executive Director
Vivian Colón, LCSW • Clinical Director
Rachel Zinns, MD • Medical Director
Iyejide Ogunleye • Clinical Support Specialist / Admin Coordinator
Nickheisa Ewen, LMSW • Clinical Therapist
Zoe Zink, LMSW • Clinical Therapist
Chilton E. Harper, MPA • Development Director

Programs & Community
Elenna M. Geffrard, MSEd • Coordinator of Adult Day and Support Programs
Logan Devlin • Community Educator
Maribel C. Gomez, DSP • Day Hab & Community Rehabilitation
Edith Villalobos, DSP • Day Hab Specialist
Emily Gomez • Job Coach

Board of Directors

Priscilla Orr • Chairperson
Matthew Persanis • Partner
Pamela B. Conford, MSW
Dr. Blanca R. Vázquez, MD

Professional Advisory Board

Dr. Blanca Vazquez – NYU (FACES) • Chairperson
Dr. Steven M. Wolf – Boston Children’s Health Physicians New York & Connecticut, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, New York Medical College • Vice Chairperson
Dr. Michelle Bell – New York-Presbyterian/CUIMC
Dr. Andrew Dawson – Epilepsy Center, New York- Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
Dr. Susan Duberstein – Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center
Dr. Jacqueline French – NYU (FACES)
Dr. Saadi Ghatan – Mount Sinai Health System
Dr. Arthur Grant – SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Dr. Jonathan Gursky – Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center
Dr. Sheryl Haut – Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center
Dr. Steven Karceski – Weill Cornell Epilepsy Center
Dr. Josiane Lajoie – NYU Langone Medical Center
Dr. Lara Marcuse – Mount Sinai Epilepsy Center
Patricia McGoldrick NP MPA MSN – Boston Children’s Health Physicians New York & Connecticut, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, New York Medical College
Dr. Nwanneka A. Okolo – Northwell Staten Island University Hospital
Dr. Alison Pack – New York-Presbyterian/CUIMC
Dr. Juliann Paolicchi – NH Physician Partners Neurology (Staten Island) & Lenox Hill Hospital
Reza Zarnegar, DO – New York-Presbyterian Queens

Into the Light Epilepsy Engagement Group

Kenny Hellmann – Manager, MLB Video Room Monitoring
Halle Pietro – Medical Assistant, Valley Health System
Craig Schmidt, Pharm.D – Regional Account Manager – NYC, Novo Nordisk
Justin Toumey – Executive Director, JP Morgan Asset Management
Steve Yaros – Finance Director, Annaly Capital

Contact Us
info@efmny.org